Prep boys soccer: Janetos, Mauze combine to lead Tam to another comeback victory, section title

ROHNERT PARK — The postseason run of the Tam High boys soccer team has been filled with come-from-behind victories and late, dramatic game-winning goals.

The Red-tailed Hawks provided an encore performance on both counts in the North Coast Section Division I title game against Montgomery at Rancho Cotate High on Saturday.

Tam trailed by a goal twice and scored the game winner in the final 5 minutes to defeat the Vikings 3-2 and claim its second consecutive section title. Lucas Janetos scored once and assisted on the other two goals to lead Tam (17-4-8) to the dramatic win.

"(Janetos) was extraordinary," Tam coach Dustin Nygaard said. "I've been watching it for four years. The first day he stepped on the field as a freshman, I knew he was going to be special."

Special only begins to describe the kind of game Janetos unleashed on the Vikings (16-4-3) in the second half. With the Red-tailed Hawks down 2-1 with 15 minutes to play, Janetos provided the equalizer after a Tam shot ricocheted off a defender and went right to him. Janetos chested the ball down and volleyed it into the net from about 25 yards away to tie the game.

With five minutes to play, Janetos made another blistering run down the left sideline and the Montgomery defender had no choice but to tug on his jersey to try to slow him down. The ref called the foul and Janetos served a free kick toward the far post where Mauze was there to head home the eventual game winner.

"(Mauze) is so smart, so good in the air," Janetos said. "You just put the ball in the air anywhere near the goal and good things are going to happen."

The goal capped Tam's sixth come-from-behind victory in seven postseason games — most of those victories coming on goals in the game's waning moments.

"I thought we were very calm (when trailing)," Mauze said. "I was confident in our ability to come back. This is a great way to end the season."

Despite the frequency of these late-game postseason heroics, Janetos couldn't quite believe the Red-tailed Hawks had pulled off another one in the biggest game of the season.

"They opened up the scoring but we bounced back and kept fighting," Janetos said. "It's a very tenacious team that we have. I still can't believe we just did that."

For the first 40 minutes of the game, a Tam victory didn't appear too likely. Tam trailed 1-0 at the break but Janetos began stretching Montgomery's defense with blistering runs down the left sideline.

The first 10 minutes of the second half are always so crucial when trying to rally and Janetos served in a perfect cross for a Mauze header in the 48th minute to tie things up. Both players are headed to Yale to play soccer in the fall and their chemistry was on full display throughout the second half.

"(Janetos) was totally the difference," Mauze said. "He's been here for four years and he's been the difference for four years."

Montgomery retook the lead seven minutes later but the Red-tailed Hawks continued to throw everything they had at the Vikings, eventually coming all the way back to claim the title.

"I'm going to remember this for a long time," Janetos said. "It's a very sweet win. This is a storybook ending."